Vacuum cleaner brush mounting



vAcUuM CLEANER. BRUSH MOUNTING Y Y E. NILSEN 1,835,321

Filed oct. 51, 1928 s s'neetsfsneet 2 77726272609 Z J//i 915er?,-

De. '8,v 1931. E.. NlELsr-:N 1,835,321

- VACUUM CLEANER BRUSH MOUNTING' Fi'ied oct. s1, 1928 s sheets-sheet s @yndwf Patented Dec. 8,` `1,931

' f UNITED STATES PATENT ori-*lcs Emir-Um. mslm, or msnm, Asscrenon ro HAMILTON amsn nre. oo., or moms, wrscoNsIN, a coaroaarron or wrscoNsIN vacuum opnam :eapsn iirorm'rxrrev Application filed ctober 81, 1928. Serial.No. $18,318.

This invention relates to brush mountingsl and more particularly to means for removably mounting a brushof the non-rotatable type upon'a vacuum cleaner. In the resent embodiment the mounting is such t at the brush is self-adjusting or floating, by which is meant that the brush aecommodates'itself to any unevenness of the surface to be cleaned so that the ends of the bristles are always in lo operative contact with said surface.

One of the objects of the invention -is to' Iprovide a flexible connection between the brush and the vacuum cleaner for the purpose of producing an ecient engagement at all times vbetween the brush bristles land carpet to be cleaned, and means whereby the 'brush may be easily placed invposition and readily removed, as is desirable for the Vpurpose `of storing. or cleaning the brush.

Another object is to provide a brush mounting in which 4the vacuum cleaner and the brush are each provided with a single unitary member adapted to cooperate with the other for e'ecting a dependable but 'yielding connection between the brush and cleaner without the aid of separate fastening devices. Hereto fore brushes have been mounted in vacuum cleaners so as to remain in a lixed position irrespective of the nozzle adjustment, or they havebeen so mounted as to require separate adjustment when the nozzle is raised or low ered.. In the present invention no separate adjustment of the brush is required, as means are provided 'for adjusting the position of the brush by the adjustment of the nozzle :Not only is the brush automatically adjusted as to itsposition'relative to the Hoor covering l by the adjustment of the nozzle, but its mounting is flexible so thatthe brush'will A itself laterally to anyunevenness the licor covering. v I i ,Further objects and advantages will appeal as I proceed with nl'yspecificatlon.

In the drawings: L l' i Figure 1 is a side elevation of a'vacuum cleaner embodyin myinvention, the ham' v dle and dust ba gein'g'broken away. Fi re 2V is a ttom plan view of the forwar part of the device, Vincluding the suc- M tion nozzle andfan easing.'

is Abeing mounted upon or removed from the cleaner, the sectional parts being taken on the line 1 -4 of Figure 5, ,looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 5 isa vertical sectional view of the mounting, taken onthe line 5--5 of Figure 3,

looking inthe direction indicated by the arrows. v

Figure 6 isa perspective view showing the two plate members ofv the mounting detached, one of said members being intendedfor connection to the b dy of the cleaner and the other to the brush ame.

Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of the nozzle, partly in section, the nozzle being shown in lts l'owermost position relative to the licor.

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the nozzle in raised position.' v

Fig. 9 1s a side elevation of the cleaner, fpartly in section, with one wheel not shown 1n order to disclose the 'nozzle adjusting means. v Y v The followingis a general-description of the vacuum cleaner to which my invention has been applied. The body of the cleaner comprises a motor housin 15, substantia1ly round, inl transverse, vertical cross section, partially closed at its rear end 16, and provided with an outwardly extending flange 17 at its forward end. Ventilating openin in the housing 15,are indicated at 15. onnectedtc said flange 17 by screws 18 is a fan casing '19, so arranged that vthe fan (not shown) will be in axial alignment withthe motor shaft. A suction nozzle 20, terminating in a suction mou'th- 21, is preferably .integral with and extends forwardly and downwardly from the fan casing 19. A The front wall 22 of the nozzle 20 has'an openalignmentwith the axis of the fan. and said ate 23. This opening in the wall 22 is prol ing therethrough, which is substantially in vided for the purpose of accommodating a coupling (not shown) for an auxiliary suction tool which may be connected to a iange on the inner surface of the fan casing in such manner that communication between the fan chamber and suction mouth 21 is cut off, and communication established between the auxiliary tool and said fan chamber. Not being a part of this invention, this auxiliary tool connection to the fan casing need not be described in detail.

The body of the cleaner is supported at the rear upon a roller 24 and near the forward end by a. pair of rotatably mounted wheels 25. A non-rotatable brush 26 is removably mounted externally of the nozzle 2O by means of a bracket 27. A handle 28, having bifurcated ends or spring arms 29 adapted to engage the sides of the motor housing 15, is removably and pivotally mounted on pins 30 which extend outwardly from the sides of said casing 15. The electric current wire 31 connects the motor with a, source of power through an extension cord usually carried on the handle 28. The fan casing 19 has the usual tubular extension 32, to which a dust bag 33 is removably secured.

In the particular embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, one part of the brush mounting which it is intended to protect hereby is mounted on the vacuum cleaner by being connected to a wheel-carrying bar which is pivotally connected to the nozzle. Since I have, in this embodiment, provided means for adjusting the relative positions of the wheel-carrying mechanism and the suction nozzle, some movement is also imparted to the brush (which is connected by its mounting to the wheel-carrying bar) when adjustment is being made between the wheel-carrying bar and the suction nozzle,

in order to alter the distances between the' mouth of the nozzle and the surface to be cleaned.

It will bev `obvious that that part of the brush mounting which is shown as connected to a movable part of the vacuum cleaner, could be connected to a rigid part without departing from the scope of my invention.

As' shown in the drawings, a bar 34 having rearwardly bent arms 35 carries the wheels 25 which are rotatably mounted thereon at 36. The bar 34 is pivotally connected tothe nozzle 20 by a lever 37 having forwardly directed arms 38, said bar 34 and lever 37 being rigidly secured together by rivets 39 or other means. The arms 38 are pivotally connected to depending lugs 40 on the nozzle 20 by a pivot rod 41. The extent of pivotal movement of the lever 37 in one direction is limited by Contact between the end 38 of one of the arms 38 with the lower surface of the nozzle 20. -A spring 42, wrapped around said rod 41, exerts upward pressure against 35 the lever 37.

Means for adjusting the relative positions of the wheel-carrying bar 34 and nozzle 20, include a lever 43 carrying a nozzle-contact ear 44, one end of the lever 43 being pivotally secured at 45 to the bar 34 and its opposite end being operatively connected with a cam 46 and actuating knob 47. This operative connection is provided by a headed bolt 34 ixed in the wheel carrying lever 34 and extending through a slot 43 in the free end of the lever 43. The cam 46 and knob 47 are rotatably secured to the lever 43 as indicated at 47', with one of the cam edges resting on top of the lever 34. The turning of the knob 47 raises or lowers the nozzle relative to the wheel carrying lever 34. The adjusting means is the subject of a co-pending application filed by Edward Mross, and is not, per se, a part of the present invention and need not be described in greater detail.

Referring now more particularly to those parts constituting the brush mounting which has been indicated as a whole at 27, an angle plate 48 has its vertically disposed member apertured at 49. Its other member, which is substantially horizontally disposed, although slightly inclined downwardly, is preferably provided as shown with threerectangularly shaped apertures 50 and two circular apertures 51, as best shown in Figure 6. The exact number, form and arrangement of these apertures may be varied. In the embodiment shown, the vertical portion of the angle plate 48 is located between the wheel-carrying bar 34 and the pivoted lever 37, and the rivets 39 connect the parts firmly together.

Extending through each of the apertures 51 is a headed bolt 52, the head being disposed under the angle plate'48 and the shank extending upwardly therethrough. On the end of the shank is a washer 53, held against displacement in any desired mannen. and between the washer and the upper surface of the angle plate 48 is a coiled spring 54 for the purpose of normally holding thehead of the bolt 52 against the under surface of the plate 48, although `slightly spaced therefrom by the sleeve portion 55.

The other part of the brush mounting.

which cooperates with the plate 48 com rises a plate 56 adapted for connection to the rame of the brush 26.y In the present embodiment this connection is accomplished through an angular vertically disposed wall 57 apertured at 58, and a reinforcing portion 59 may be provided to en age the upper surface of the brush frame. he plate 56 is provided on its upper surface near its rearward edge wlth projections 60, formed by slitting the metaal at two placesl for each projection, as indicated at 61, and pressing the metal between the slits upwardly to form projections 60. Said projections are located to register with the recesses 50 in the plate 48 when the parts are in juxtaposition. The reary apertures, 51.

To bring these parts together, it is necessary to tilt the brush and its plate 56`to clear the mouth of the nozzle, the rearward lmargin of the plate 56 being moved rearwardly against the under surface of the plate 48 until the marginal side walls 63 of the notches 62 will enter thelimited space between the head of the bolt 52 and the under surface of the plate 48 and will tilt the bolt, as the rearward movement is continued, against the tension of the spring 54 (as best shown in F igure 4). After the plate 56 has reached the position shown in Figure 4 and the operators hold on the brush 26 has been released,

the sl'ning 54 will cause. the headed bolt to draw the plate 56 upwardly to be substantially parallel with the forwardly extendingr part of the plate 48. The projectlons 60 will then engage the a ertures 50 of the mountlng will be securely but removablv held together.

n Figure 3 the nozzle is Vshown in its lowermost adjusted position wherein the wheelcarrying bar 34 has been moved about the pivot 41 to what may be termed a raised position with respect to the nozzle. In this position the top ofv the brushframe and its plate 56`bear against the under surfaces of the lugs 40, the brush bristles bearing firmly upon the surface to be cleaned, and the mounting plate 5 6iis not quite parallel'to the plate 48 as will be seen from Figure 3. When the adjusting means is actuatedv to slightly change the pivotal relation between the wheel-carrying bar 34 and nozzle' 20, to bring the nozzle mouth 21 further away from the surface upon which the wheels 25 rest, thev angle of the forwardly extending ypart of the plate 48 is slightlvaltered by the movement of the bar 34, with the result that said plate 48 and plate 56 are substantially parallel to each other.

The Vconstruction of the fastening devices i 52 and their arrangement in the 'mounting plate 48 provide a yielding, separable connection between the parts.

The construction described provides a very inexpensive, durable and dependable mounting, eilcient for its intended purpose, by means of which all obtrusive connecting parts between brush and nozzle are eliminated and in 'which no separate fastening devices are required.

Obviously, changes in details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of my invention, be limited to the precise form shown and described, except apertures, and a second and the two partsI -Said Second 1n, headed `said apertures,

and I do not intend tov pended' claims.

I claim as my invention:

as pointed out the ap-` 1. In a vacuum' cleanerhaving a suction y nozzle and floor-engaging sup orts -ad'ustably secured thereto, a brusho the sel ad" justing type, and means for mounting the brush on said suction nozzle, said mounting means including a platemember secured to the floor engagmtg supports, said plate having a plurality o apertures therein, springpressed headed bolts extending throu h said plate mem r Asef cured to the brush, and notched at one'margin to register with said headed bolts.

2. Means for mounting a brush of the non-rotatable typeI upon a, vacuum cleaner, including a .plate member secured to the cleaner, said plate having a plurality of ap. ertures therein, s ringpressed headed bolts extending throug some of said apertures, and a second plate member secured to the brush, projections on said plate for engaging the apertures not occupied by said bolts in the first mentioned plate, the margin of plate being notched to receive the headed bolts and to be held thereby in yielding engagement with the first mentioned plate.

3. Means for mounting a brush upon a vacuum cleaner, includingv an angle plate member secured to the vacuum' cleaner, said plate having a plurality of apertures therebolts extending through `some of a coiled sprin and a washer upon the shank of the bolt, tg ing against the washer and one surface of the plate, a second plate member connected to the brush, and projections on the plate for engagement with .the apertures not occupied by said bolts inthe rst mentioned plate, the second plate having notches registering with said headed bolts, adjacent the notches engaging the headed bolts .and said first mentioned plate memberf e springbear-l the margins of the plate l 4. A vacuum cleaner having a suction noz# zle, a wheel carrying lever extending longitudinally, rearwardly nozzle and adjustably secured to the nozzle, and a nonrotatable brush removably and yieldingly carried by said wheel-carrying lever.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my sole invention I alix my signature this 22nd day of October, 1928.

' v EMANUEL NIELSEN.

and exteriorly of the 

